Atlanta United President Speaks Out on Miguel Almiron’s Future Following Interest From Newcastle

Atlanta United President Speaks Out on Miguel Almiron’s Future Following Interest From Newcastle

Atlanta United President Speaks Out on Miguel Almiron’s Future Following Interest From Newcastle

Atalanta United president Darren Eales insists that Paraguayan talisman Miguel Almirón won’t be sold for cheap, amid interest from Newcastle United.

Almirón has impressed over the course of the last two seasons in MLS and has been involved in 42 goals in 62 league appearances.

Lynne Cameron/GettyImages

The 24-year-old has a contract with the Five Stripes that expires in December 2020 and with speculation linking the Paraguayan international to St. James’ Park, Eales has indicated that the club will only consider offers which meet their valuations.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Eales said: “The important thing is we have an owner that is 100 per cent behind the team and wants the team to win, and we have a fan base, so we have always said that if the right approach comes in – and it has to be the right offer for the player, the league, and most importantly the club – then we would consider it.”

Eales, who has seen his club reach a first ever MLS Cup Final in just their second season as a franchise, also denied reports which suggested the club would loan their players out and reiterated that Atlanta would not be selling their players for cheap.

“I have seen some laughable things in the press, clearly we are never going to loan one of our players out and we are certainly not going to let them go for the ‘chump change’ that I have seen in some reports,” he added.

“If it’s a proper, serious offer then it’s something we would consider, but not for the laughable figures that I have seen mentioned in the press.”

Almirón helped Atlanta secure a first ever Eastern Conference triumph, scoring in the Quarter-finals of the MLS Cup Play-offs against New York City, on the road to defeating New York Red Bulls in the Conference Finals, which sealed a spot in the MLS Cup Final against Portland Timbers.

Eales hailed the midfielder as ‘one of the best players in the league’ and tipped Almirón to be a success wherever he goes, albeit when the ‘right’ bid comes along for Atlanta to sell: “He has proved in these two years that he is by far and away one of the best players in the league.

“He is still a young player, he is a Paraguay international and it’s brilliant he can cope with the physicality of the Argentinian league with Lanus and also the MLS.

“He is an amazing player, he was one of the best players on the pitch in both of the All-Star games that we played against Juventus and Real Madrid,” he remarked, “I have no doubt that when the time is right and the offer is right he can be a success in whatever league he goes to.”